culture
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Freddie Gray and the Fear of a ‘Rough Ride’
There were rumors of it from the beginning: Was Freddie Gray a victim of one of Baltimore’s infamous “rough rides”? They paralyzed one man in 2005, and the city has paid out millions in settlements over these “rides,” in which, after arresting a person, police toss the handcuffed man or woman into the back of…
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A Cop’s Wife Says Police Officers’ Lives Must Matter, Too
I’m sure they mean well. The folks soliciting prayers for Baltimore’s “frustrated” juvenile rioters. But I’m tempted to respond to their calls for prayer with a request for prayers for the officers being attacked just for showing up at work. Then I think better of it, because mine isn’t a popular opinion and I’m not…
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Just Say No to Dating the Creepy ‘Friend’ Who Won’t Take No for an Answer About Sex
A guy I’ve known for years—he’s always seemed to show interest—called me out of the blue. We talked on the phone for three hours, during which time he had phone sex alone. I flat out said, “No, I’m not engaging.” That was the first red flag. We talked on the phone every day for three,…
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How a Single Dad Manages the Stepdad in His Daughters’ Lives
I am a single dad. I have twin daughters whom I would describe as thoughtful, smart, funny, spirited, respectful, (insert adjective) young women whom I love more dearly than my own breath. I am also a weekend dad, not by design but by circumstance. I have learned to let go of my desire to be…
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6 Things We Still Don’t Know About the Freddie Gray Case
As Baltimore continues to recover from the violence that swept through the city Monday after the funeral of Freddie Gray, questions remain unanswered about how the 25-year-old suffered the spinal cord injury that led to his death. Protesters have been clamoring for answers while the Baltimore Police Department continues its investigation. Given the department’s long…
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Baltimore Residents Take Charge of Cleanup Efforts Across the City
After the funeral of Freddie Gray Monday afternoon, riots erupted in the streets of Baltimore, sparking looting and the destruction of local businesses. Although the city has been under a state of emergency since Monday night, that did not stop residents from organizing a massive cleanup effort on Facebook and taking matters into their own…
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Baltimore: The Fire Next Time
The city of Baltimore is still reeling from the April 19 death of Freddie Gray a week after he was taken into police custody. Police officials have admitted that he asked for medical attention and never received it. Preliminary results from an autopsy revealed that Gray died from complications he suffered after his spine was…
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Peaceful Protests and Funeral for Freddie Gray Eclipsed by Violence
The funeral of Freddie Gray and the mass peaceful protests that followed his death were eclipsed Monday night by widespread uprisings and standoffs between young people and police in Baltimore. It started on Saturday in Camden Yards, where kids busted police windows, broke glass at a mall and had standoffs with Orioles fans, some of…
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#BlackLifeMatters: Just Ask the Director of the Museum of African American History and Culture
Sometimes it’s hard to know which events today might have historical relevance tomorrow. It’s easier in some cases than in others. Loretta Lynch’s appointment as the first black woman to serve as attorney general? That’s something worth noting. An essay written by one seemingly scorned African-American intellectual about the alleged hypocrisy of another seemingly scorned…
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Photos: Baltimore in Chaos
On Monday, soon after an emotional funeral for Freddie Gray—the 25-year-old man who died a week after being taken into police custody April 12—portions of Baltimore erupted into chaos as rioters clashed with police, threw objects at passing law-enforcement vehicles and looted local businesses. Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake issued a citywide curfew from 10 p.m.…